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~ Carson's POV ~

I should have swallowed my anger, pride, arrogance and every other freaking emotion and just spoken to her.

But unlike her I wasn't actually good at talking and getting people to talk. Last night when I was angry, she took every hurtful thing I said, she ignored every attempt I made at trying to shut her down. She somehow managed to ignore it all and she just kept pushing me to talk to her.

I didn't have her patience. I wasn't like her, I wasn't used to dealing with other people's emotions like that. I wasn't used to having my whole day and mood depend on someone else's. The moment I felt her become annoyed, it changed everything inside me. Just like when she smiled, anything bad that happened that day suddenly didn't matter anymore.

It was her. Somehow, at some point along the way my world suddenly began to revolve around her.

So I told her to leave, even though I didn't want that. I wanted to introduce her to my mom, I wanted her with me when I explained everything to my mom. Some stupid part of me didn't think she'd actually go.

I thought she'd just calm down and finish her damn latte and come upstairs when she was ready. But when the doorman downstairs called me at 2:40pm to tell me that my mom was here, Dani was nowhere to be found.

"Carson?"

When I heard my mom's voice call out from the elevator, I let out a frustrated sigh as I left the kitchen heading towards the elevator. I found Dani's purse on the floor with her empty coffee cup on the coffee table but apart from that, she was gone.

Rounding the corner, I saw my mother standing by the closed elevator doors giving me a glare. It wasn't one of those motherly glares that she gave me when she was telling me off, it was one of those glares that told me I'd hurt her.

And it just made the guilt I felt even worse.

"Mom. You're early." When she heard my words as I walked towards her, she let out a scoff putting down her purse and taking her jacket off to hang it up.

"Sorry to disappoint you, son."

"I didn't mean it like that, I just have something I need to deal with right now and-"

"Well whatever it is, it's going to have to wait. It's been five weeks since I spoke to you, so you're going to sit down and explain to me why."

Before I could try to stop her, she walked into the open plan area of my apartment, heading over to the couch where I'd left Dani sitting half an hour ago.

"You have a girl here?" Following behind her, I watched as she stopped, staring at Dani's purse and the coffee cup with the lipstick marks on.

"No, well, yes but-"

"You're too busy to talk to me because of a girl?" When she said it like that, the anger biting into her tone, I let out a frustrated sigh as I went over to pick up the two items.

"Just sit down mama." Putting Dani's purse to the side on the floor, I went into the kitchen, putting the cup on the counter before I grabbed two water bottles from the fridge. Heading back into the living area where my mother was sitting, I handed her a bottle before I sat down on the couch across from her.

I wanted to be able to concentrate on her and to give her all my attention after everything I'd put her through over the last five weeks. But I just couldn't focus, not when I could see her things everywhere.

I could see her purse on the floor, her new laptop and phone in the bag across the room, her shoes that she wore this morning when we got here-

"Carson are you even listening to me?"

"What? Y-yeah, sorry. What did you say?" When I gave her a confused frown, she shook her head putting the bottle of water down on the coffee table.

"Where the hell have you been? You used to call me a few times a week if you were too busy to see me, this is the longest you've ever gone without speaking to me. Did I upset you? Did I hurt you somehow Carson?"

Hearing the worry and the guilt in her voice just made me feel so much worse. So much freaking worse.

"No, mom you didn't, I promise you didn't. There's just...a lot has happened mom. I need to explain it all but now isn't a good time."

"Not a good time? You knew what time I was coming Carson, I was only twenty minutes early."

Letting out a frustrated sigh, I nodded my head. I was doing my best to try and control the anger that so desperately wanted to rise up inside me.

It wasn't even Daniela's fault, I told her to leave. I should have stayed and spoken to her but I didn't. She was upset and I guess she did have a right to be, we were just so different when it came to money - I wanted to spend on her to show her that I loved her and she wanted to be independent.

"Carson!" When my mom shouted my name I suddenly jumped, my mind once again being brought back to the current situation.

"You can ignore me all you like but I'm not leaving until you talk to me."

"But mama I need to-"

"Give me an explanation and I'll get out of your way. You may not want me around you anymore Carson but you're still my son, my eldest baby. Just tell me why and I'll go and you can go back to whatever or whoever you were doing."

When she so bluntly suggested it was sex that was distracting me, I instantly shook my head.

"Mom it's not that. I...damn." Running a hand over my face, I ached for her touch to calm me down. She was the only one who could do it.

But I just had to focus. She knew what she was doing when she left, now I just had to focus on my mother.

"I was kidnapped." When I said those words I lifted my head to look at her, noticing her silence until she just glared at me again.

"Don't treat me like an idiot Carson. Not after all I did to raise you, show me some more respect than this."

"I'm not lying mom. The night when you left to go to Paris, I was leaving a dinner meeting and I was run off the road and taken."

When she saw the truth in my eyes, her glare slowly began to soften before she frowned at me.

"You were kidnapped?" Nodding my head, I let out a sigh as I explained, reliving the memories all over again.

"I was held for almost three weeks and then I escaped. It took me a while to find my way back from Washington State, I went to Los Angeles for a bit and then came back here yesterday."

It took her a minute to process everything I told her as she picked up her water bottle taking a sip of it.

"Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you tell me Carson? Why didn't anyone tell me? I would have come back faster if I knew."

When I saw her eyes fill with tears, I got up from my place on the couch across from her, heading over to sit next to her.

"They didn't know where I was mom and I didn't want to worry you. I wanted to tell you in person."

Shaking her head she let out a sob as she moved into my arms, pulling me into a hug. I knew it would hurt her to find out the truth which was another reason I didn't want her to know.

It was easier for her to be angry with me than to feel guilty and hurt.

"Oh my baby. I knew you'd end up getting hurt one day, especially with your attitude you have too many enemies."

"Mom I'm fine, you don't need to cry." I rubbed her back as I held her in my arms while she continued to cry. "I'm so sorry for getting angry baby, I thought you were ignoring me. I thought you didn't want to speak to me anymore. But all that time you were being hurt, in a place that you didn't know. I thought you hated me."

"You're my best friend, that would never happen mom." When she pulled away I gave her a smile which she returned, reaching her hand up to place it on my cheek.

"Is that where you got all those bruises?"

Shaking my head, I shuffled away from her sheepishly avoiding her gaze.

"Oh...no. I had a fight with Grey last night but-"

"Carson Salvestro Agnello what did I tell you about fighting?" When I heard the hard edge in her voice I couldn't stop the laugh that left my lips earning me a slap to the back of the head.

"Ow! What the hell?"

"Language!" When she hit me again, I rubbed the back of my head sending her a glare which soon morphed into a smile which she begrudgingly returned.

"I love you mom."

"I love you too baby. So now tell me, what was on your mind? I haven't seen you this distracted for a very long time."

The moment she reminded me of what had happened earlier this afternoon, I let out a sigh shaking my head.

"I'm screwing everything up mama, it's all going to sh-"

"Carson." When she cut me off with a warning tone, I leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees as held my head in my hands. After a few seconds I felt her place her hand on my back, rubbing it soothingly like she used to do when I was younger.

"What's the matter Carson?"

"I left out a part of the story. I met this girl while I was gone and she's just...she's taken over my damn life mama. We had an argument earlier and I told her to leave before you came if she couldn't get herself together. I didn't think she'd actually freaking go."

"Well what did you expect? If a girl is already upset and you tell her to leave, she's going to leave Carson."

"But I didn't mean it. I was angry but I didn't mean it. Now she has no phone, or car or a way to get back home and into the penthouse. She's just alone."

When I shook my head, I sat up straight again, leaning back into the couch. "I just need to make it right and I don't know where she is. I just want her back."

When my mom didn't say anything for a few moments, I turned my head to look at her.

"Why are you smiling like that?" My frown only deepened when her smile widened and her eyes filled with tears again.

"I didn't think you would ever let yourself fall in love. You were always so closed off, trying to show the world that you're this cold hearted mob boss instead of my baby boy. I always thought that act of yours would stop you from letting a girl in."

"It wasn't an act." Even though I said it with so much conviction, she let out a laugh at my words. "Carson you're the sweetest man I know, with the biggest heart. I raised you, remember? I know you better than you think."

"I'm like that with you, but not with anyone else."

"What about her?" The moment she mentioned Dani, memories of all the things I'd done for her came to my mind.

When I held her in my arms every night when she got cold, when I massaged her stomach when she was on her period, when I held her while she cried after every time she got hurt in that stupid room. I freaking cried when George and Mark were hurting her and I was tied up and couldn't do anything. I went back to get her necklace from his dead body just for her. I carried her through the woods, I got on my damn knees to ask her to be my girlfriend.

Because she was my queen.

"I love her."

As soon as all the memories of the time we were locked in that room came flooding back I felt this surge of emotion run through me. I'd been trying to forget, trying to block out all the details of what happened while we were there.

Dani and I didn't even talk about it anymore. We didn't mention a thing that happened, like it never did.

But somehow my mom just brought them all back to me.

"Carson don't cry."

"I'm not." When I instantly denied it, wiping my eyes to get rid of the few tears that had formed she let out a laugh next to me, pulling me back into her arms. "I'll leave you to find her, but make sure you go now. She'll be waiting somewhere for you Carson."

"How do you know?"

"You said she was out there on her own. How else is she going to come back?" Giving me one last smile, she stood too her feet from her place on the couch, making her way back towards the hallway where the elevator was.

"Carson?"

"Yeah?" Turning my head to look at her, I watched as she stopped to put on her jacket also picking up her purse. "What's her name?"

"Daniela."

With one last smile and a promise to come and see me again soon to meet Dani, my mother left through the elevator leaving me alone to figure out what the hell I was going to do.

Letting out a breath, I stood up from the couch grabbing the water bottles to take them back to the kitchen. It was only when I was standing there in silence trying to figure out where she could be that my eyes landed on her Starbucks coffee cup from earlier. Her name was written on the side of the cup and there were some faint lipstick marks on it too.

"I used to go to one on 92nd street off Park Avenue whenever Ayden wanted me out the way, it was my favourite place. It was the only place I ever felt at home."

The moment her words from earlier that day came back to my mind, I rushed over to the elevator grabbing my keys as I went. When I finally reached my car downstairs in the parking lot, I let out a frustrated sigh when my phone started vibrating in my pocket.

Hitting answer on the car's Bluetooth without checking the caller ID, I focused my attention on speeding out of the parking lot.

"Boss? We have a problem, how quickly can you get here?"

When I heard Fox's cold tone come through the phone, I instantly knew he was calling me in front of other men otherwise he wouldn't have called me boss.

"I can't, I'm busy." It fell silent for a moment on the other side of the line as I drove through the streets of New York. Somehow I had to stop at every single freaking traffic light that I passed when they all turned red as soon as I got there.

"Carson it's important. The Hollande family are one of our biggest clients from France and they're here right now complaining that they're not happy with our service. If we lose them then we'll be losing half a billion dollars in annual profit. They're asking for you."

The Hollande family - I hated the lot of them.

Letting out a sigh I ran a hand through my head trying to think of a solution as I watched all the cars cross the intersection in front of me while I waited at the stop light.

"Can't Grey handle it?"

"Why do you think I'm the one calling you? He's already trying. Carson you haven't been here for five weeks, people know things are weird here and they're not willing to keep giving us their money if they don't know you're okay."

The moment the lights turned amber, I pressed my foot to the gas speeding down the road as Fox's voice sounded out in my car.

"Okay, listen. I want Grey to tell them I'll be there soon and then I want you to give them drinks, get them food or whatever the hell they want, just do whatever you have to do to appease them while they wait."

"How long are you going to be?"

"I'm in Manhattan right now and I have something to fix first and then I'll be there. Give me 90 minutes."

Fox mumbled an 'okay' before he hung up the phone just as I turned onto 92nd street, driving slower as I looked at all the different stores and shops among the few houses on the street.

It was only when I saw a quaint little coffee shop nestled between a few houses that I parked my car, something just telling me that was the one.

I just hoped she was there.

Crossing the road, I walked to the entrance of the coffee shop and when I opened the door a bell rung above me as the scent of roasting coffee invaded my senses. Taking a few steps inside, I could feel eyes on me as I looked around the dimly lit coffee shop, trying to find her.

All I could see were families, couples and friends sitting around laughing and talking as they drank the coffee and enjoyed the soft music playing around in the shop. It wasn't hard to see why she loved it here, it was so homey and comfortable compared to the harsh reality outside those doors in New York.

Just as I was about to turn around to leave, my eyes landed on a solitary figure sitting in the corner of the room on a leather arm chair, staring out the window. The closer I got to her, I saw the soft frown on her face as she stared off into the distance holding a mug of coffee between her hands.

"Is this seat taken?" When I spoke in a soft tone, pointing towards the arm chair across from her, her head suddenly turned in my direction.

At first her eyes widened, her lips parting as she stared at me in shock before she eventually frowned, finally nodding her head. She sat up straighter when I sat down across from her, leaning forward with my elbows on my knees.

"How did you find me?"

"You told me earlier this is where you used to come and that it was the only place that felt like home."

She held my stare for a moment before she looked down at her mug without saying another word.

"I love you Dani." When she still didn't say anything, refusing to look at me I gave her a moment before I spoke again.

"Come with me beautiful."

"I don't want to." She mumbled the words causing me to frown but before I could ask why she continued. "I'm nothing Carson. I don't have anything - a job, money, a passport, I didn't even have a bank account until a few hours ago. I don't have any family or friends to introduce you to, I'm nothing. Why do you want me?"

When she lifted her head to look at me, the tears in her eyes broke my heart.

"I love you. I don't give a damn about any of that stuff because it's not your fault. You'll find a job, you can get a passport and you'll make friends soon baby. I don't care about money, I just care about you. I just...my way of showing you how much I love you is by paying for things for you."

"But I wanted to pay, because I don't want to rely on you. I'm your girlfriend not your child."

Nodding my head, I reached my hand out to take hers when my phone started buzzing in my pocket catching her attention. At first I tried to ignore it but when she gave me an annoyed look, pulling her hand away before I could hold it, I finally took it out of my pocket to see it was Grey calling.

"You can go and take it Carson. I'm just going to stay here."

"No, I know what it's about but you're more important right now Dani." When she heard me say that, she moved a little closer to me putting down her mug on the coffee table next to her.

"I love you too Carson but-"

"But nothing. I'm so sorry for what happened today, I swear to you Dani I'm going to try harder for you, I'm going to try and be better for you."

"Carson-"

"This isn't how it was all supposed to go. We were supposed to come back and be together and just...I don't know, just be happy."

"Carson just-"

"I keep freaking hurting you and today I didn't even mean to. I never should have paid or told you to leave and-"

"Carson stop." When she very forcefully cut me off this time she quickly took the chance to speak before I did again. "I should be the one saying sorry to you, for the things I said earlier. I know you were trying to be nice in your own way, I just got overwhelmed and..."

When her sentence trailed off and her tears fell I instantly reached out to wipe them away causing her to lean into my touch.

"No baby, you don't have to be sorry for shit, you never have to be sorry. Let's just move on baby, it's frustrating that all this has happened and we haven't even been back a full day, but we're still learning how to deal with this. It's all so new, there's no need to carry it on." My words caused her to smile as she turned her head, pressing a kiss to my palm.

"Thank you for coming after me."

"I'd follow you anywhere Daniela O'Brien, absolutely anywhere."

Even if it made a pussy or it made me look weak, I didn't give a damn. I meant every word of that sentence.

When she gave me one of her smiles that brightened my entire world, I gave her one back before I eventually dropped it giving her a glare instead.

"Never run away like that again, do you understand me? Did you even think about how dangerous it could be? What the hell were you thinking? You didn't even have a phone Daniela, that's the stupidest thing-"

"Don't be mean to me." When she cut me off, pouting her lips I just shook my head. "I'm not being mean, I'm trying to tell you off."

"But I don't want to be told off."

How has the girl got me so tightly wrapped around her finger? She didn't want to be told off...that's all it took to stop me from going off at her about how stupid she was when she definitely deserved it. Just with that sentence that she said, I finished my little tantrum, letting out a sigh.

"Come on then beautiful." When I stood up, she stood up along side me taking my hand as we walked out the coffee shop together, heading out to my car. As we walked she rested her head on my arm, holding onto my hand.

"Dani I have some business that needs taking care of, I can take you home if you want me to but I need to go as soon as possible."

"No it's okay, I don't want to be alone anymore. I want to stay with you." Hearing her say those words as we reached my car made me want to smile like a damn child.

I don't smile, I don't like doing it and yet she makes me want to do it all the time.

"I see why you like it there, it's lively but calm at the same time." As I turned on the car she nodded her head in agreement, clicking her seatbelt into place. "I loved sitting there watching people with their friends and their family. I didn't have any of it, but it felt good to be around it."

Without a word I nodded my head in understanding as I put the car into drive, starting the drive to Long Island from Manhattan.

"Do you really think I'll make friends?" Hearing the downhearted tone in her voice, I felt this urge in my heart to just protect her from the entire freaking world.

No one out there even deserved to call her their friend, she was too good for everyone, even me.

"Of course you will baby. If you're really that worried, I can take you to Times Square right now and we'll stand there and find you some friends."

My suggestion instantly caused her beautiful laugh to ring out in the car, bringing a smile to my lips.

"Those wouldn't be quality friends Carson, and how would you convince them anyway?"

"I'm a mob boss with a gun, you're the accountant here baby, do the math." As she turned in her seat to face, she let out another laugh shaking her head. "I'm not an accountant yet, I need to find a job for that title."

"Start looking tomorrow."

She nodded head in agreement before she leaned back in her seat letting out a yawn before, turning her head to look at me.

"Carson? If I take my shoes off can I put my feet on your dash?"

The moment she asked me that question an internal battle started in my head. The whipped side against the side that absolutely loved this car.

No.

But-

No, this car cost 350,000 dollars.

But it's Dani.

Did Dani pay for this car?

But she's so cute, look she's tired.

Let her be cute and tired sitting up straight.

When we pulled up to a red light and she looked at me with those innocent eyes that had me melting like a pussy, I reluctantly nodded my head with a forced smile.

"Sure."

She held my stare for a moment before she suddenly threw her head back letting out a laugh as she placed her hand on my arm.

"Oh your face was priceless." The longer I sat there staring at her with a blank expression, the longer she laughed, which only calmed down once I started driving again.

"Don't worry baby, I won't put my feet on your precious dash. But, it's nice to know where I come in your list."

"My list?" She nodded her head, giving me a smile. "Yeah, you love your cars first, then me."

"You're wrong baby. I love my cars first, then the mafia, then you." Glancing over at her I noticed how she narrowed her eyes at me before she leaned over to kiss my cheek. "Very funny Carson."

"Hey at least my cars don't give me hell and run away from me."

"I didn't run away, I went for an impromptu coffee without telling you." This time it was my turn to laugh as I nodded my head. "Okay, whatever you say my queen."

A comfortable silence fell between us for the rest of the drive as I sped through the streets of New York, trying to get to Long Island as fast as I could. By the time I finally pulled up, I realised the reason it was so quiet was because she'd fallen asleep.

"How the hell did she drink two cups of coffee and still fall asleep?" I muttered the words to myself as I parked my car on the drive, turning it off before I turned to look at her.

My sleeping beauty.

~ Daniela's POV ~

"Baby wake up, we're here."

"No."

"Dani come on."

"Go away." When I mumbled the words with my eyes closed, I heard Carson let out a sigh before he reached over and undid my seatbelt.

"Wake the hell up." When he whispered the words right next to me, I finally forced my eyes open. Just hearing him say that reminded me of the day we woke up in the van when he said those exact words to me.

"You're not very patient Mr Agnello."

My response caused his lips to twitch up into a smile before he eventually got out the car, only giving me a second to wake up before he came around to my side to open the door.

I mumbled a 'thank you' as I got out, resisting the urge to rub my eyes so that I didn't smudge my mascara.

"Carson?" When he took a step towards the house, I grabbed his hand to stop him causing him to look at me. "I'm sorry for running away, and for being a bitch to you earlier. I was just sad, I get sad sometimes."

I shouldn't have left the way I did, I honestly don't know why I did it. During few minutes after Carson told me to leave and then walked away, I felt like I was 19 years old all over again.

I felt like my entire life depended on him and he didn't want me. Like he was my drug and he didn't want me and I had to leave.

I felt like I was at that bottomless pit all over again. I hadn't felt like that since that day I was kidnapped after I left the club. It was only for a few minutes after I left the penthouse but nevertheless, it happened again.

Despite the fact I could tell he was desperate to get inside for whatever urgent business he had, he still stepped back towards me. Gently pushing me back against his car like he did earlier that day, he brought his hand up to my cheek cupping it in his hand.

"You don't have to say sorry, just talk to me next time instead of exploding like that." I cracked a small smile as I nodded my head before he brought his lips to mine.

As we started walking towards the house, he took my hand in his pulling me closer to his side. Neither of us said another word as we reached the door and Carson opened it, guiding me inside.

The moment we stepped inside I could hear someone shouting in what sounded like French but I couldn't quite here it clearly. As soon as the sounds starting coming closer, Carson let out a curse turning to look at me.

For a split second I saw panic in his eyes before he suddenly became focused again.

"Crap. Dani, listen to me, I think you should go upstairs, these people aren't-"

"Finally! Tell me Agnello, does our business mean nothing to you anymore?"

The moment we heard the man with a thick French accent approaching us, talking to Carson we both turned to look at him. I barely got a look at the tall, well built dark haired man dressed in a fancy suit, before Carson took my hand pulling me behind him protectively.

"Maybe if you told my men you were coming I would have been more prepared."

It was still surreal to me how quickly he could switch off his emotions and become another person entirely. Less than an hour ago he was sitting with me in the coffee shop speaking so soft and gently to me, now his voice was stone cold.

As the man came closer to us, the sound of his dress shoes clicking on the marble floor echoed around us until he stopped a good distance away from Carson and I.

"Considering how much you earn from us, some might expect you to be ready and waiting whenever we turn up."

Almost immediately Carson tensed up, his grip on my hand tightened as he no doubt glared at the man. Even from behind him, I could feel the power radiating from him. You would be stupid to not be scared of him, his whole demeanour was screaming 'I could snap your neck with my hands if you even look at me the wrong way'.

"Considering you know who I am and the fact you're standing in my house, some might expect you to show some damn respect."

The words Carson instantly fired back hung in the air as the hallway fell deadly silent, until the man across from us let out a laugh.

A laugh that was anything but friendly.

This guy was over there laughing while my hand felt like it could fall off any second from how hard Carson was holding onto it.

Before either of them could say anything else, more footsteps could be heard but I could barely see anything from behind Carson. Have I ever mentioned he's built like a mountain?

"Thomas, leave him." When another male French voice entered the conversation, I peeked around Carson's arm to see what was going on.

In the entry hall that we were currently standing in, Carson and I were by the door while the first French man stood across from us, and now another two were next to him. As Grey came over to us from the room they were all previously just in, I noticed one more person leave the room.

She was very clearly related to the French people which was made obvious when she went to stand next to them. Her pin straight black hair framed her face perfectly and her plump red lips were covered in red lipstick. She was also wearing a tight black dress which showed off her tiny waist and her hourglass curves.

My view of them was suddenly blocked when Grey purposely came and stood next to Carson in front of me causing me to let out a frustrated huff, earning me a squeeze of the hand from Carson.

That small gesture was enough for me know he hadn't forgotten I was still there.

When it fell silent in the hallway, Carson was the one who spoke in a cold, commanding tone void of any emotion or the softness I was used to.

"Would one of you like to tell me why you're here? I doubt you flew all the way from Paris for a trip to the Empire State Building."

Carson's words cut through the silence around us before someone responded to him. At this point I couldn't tell which of the three French men were talking since I couldn't see, so I stopped trying to figure it out.

It's not like I knew who they were anyway.

"I don't know, I've heard it's quite nice this time of year."

Okay that's bullshit because New York in August is hot and humid as hell.

"Mathis, you wanted to see me so just make your point or get out. I don't have time for this."

This time one of the French men let out a laugh before he spoke.

"Okay, Agnello. I just wanted to make sure our business was being handled efficiently. I'd hate to have to cut down on how much I'm paying you if I find it's not worth what it used to be."

"Oh, I can assure you, your business is in good hands. Whatever you're paying us to do it's being done."

"Our last shipment of ammunition and fire arms was delayed by four days and from what I'm hearing the next one could be delayed even longer. I don't think I need to tell a business man like you how much profit that could cost us."

Ammunition and fire arms.

The realisation that Carson's mafia was supplying these French people with weapons suddenly dawned on me. Along with the reality of the situation making a cold shiver of fear run down my spine.

It's easy to forget who he is when he's being so caring, or even when his friends are just playing video games when we walk in.

Everything all seemed so...normal so far? We'd only been in New York for less than 24 hours so I hadn't been exposed to his life properly yet. This was the first time.

At this Carson shook his head, still refusing to let go of my hand or even let me see past him - he was so intent on hiding them from me.

Or he was hiding me from them.

"Whatever happened, I'll make sure it doesn't happen again. You have my word."

"Okay. Well we'll be staying here for the next few days to keep an eye on things, maybe a little longer if we feel we need to. We just want to make sure everything goes as we discussed it would."

At this Carson only nodded his head although I could tell he wasn't happy from the way he clenched his jaw so hard the little muscle in his cheek popped.

Is it just me or is that such a turn on?

Not the time.

"Oh, Carson I have some new business propositions for you. Maybe you can look at them and then we can meet tomorrow?"

That sounded like a friendly request from, say a long time business contact, right? Well, just like the laugh earlier those words were nothing but friendly.

"Send them over and I'll look over them tonight then."

"Okay. Nous partons maintenant." (We're leaving now.)

I'm guessing he directed his French sentence to his other French friends although I do remember Carson told me he knew how to speak French, so maybe it was towards Carson.

Either way I had no idea what he said or who said it since I still couldn't see.

When they began walking in our direction, towards the front door, Carson and Grey crossed the entry hall with me following closely next to Carson. Finally I was able to see them all clearly, the three men and the woman that was with them too.

"Oh, one last thing. Where have you been Carson? I haven't been able to contact you for a long time now." This time when the man spoke, I noticed it was the second man who came into the hallway after Carson arrived. I recognised his voice as the one who had just been speaking with Carson, the one who Carson called Mathis.

Now that I could see them all clearly, my guess was that they were somehow related since they all looked similar to one another.

"I was away on business - a personal matter."

How are these people not scared of him right now? Just the warning in his tone was enough to scare the crap out of me.

"Of course. Well, it's good to see you're back, and with company." When his eyes suddenly shifted away from Carson and towards me, I felt my hand being squeezed once again in his grip.

The way they all suddenly looked over at me made me feel like a deer caught in the headlights. But there was something about her stare, something about the way she followed my every move, sizing me up.

"I think you've overstayed your welcome Mathis."

"Perhaps we have, we'll be seeing you tomorrow." With that they finally left, but she didn't waste the opportunity to glance back in my direction her piercing eyes meeting mine before she finally left.

Then I could finally breathe again.

Once the front door slammed shut behind us, the entry hall fell deadly silent as the three of us stood there staring at the door. It was a while before I could find the courage to speak.

"Carson?"

When he heard my tentative attempt at breaking the silence, he eventually broke his stare from the door and turned to look at me.

"Are you okay?" Still holding onto the same hand, he turned to face me placing his other hand on my cheek while I just nodded. "I shouldn't have brought you here, I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, nothing terrible happened. Anyway, at least we can say there's never a dull moment with us. First I run away and then you bring me to meet some scary French people."

My words caused his lips to twitch as he nodded his head letting out a breath. Anyone could tell that he was absolutely furious, even his futile attempt at a smile seemed forced.

"She ran away from you?" When we heard Grey speak for the first time since he even entered the hallway, we both turned to look at him. "That's why you didn't come straight away?"

The way he said those words, anyone could tell he and Carson were going to start arguing any second especially since Carson was rigid as hell next to me. So I stupidly decided to jump in before it could happen again.

Carson already had two bruises and a swollen lip from last night, he didn't need any more injuries added to his beautiful face.

"No Grey, he was with his mom, and in my eyes that's more important than those people."

This time Grey turned his attention to me, raising an eyebrow at me. The look he gave me had me instantly wishing I'd kept my mouth shut as I nervously swallowed the lump in my throat.

"I didn't say you could speak to me."

At first, for a split second I thought he was joking with those words, but when he turned his attention back to Carson with a cold glare, I knew he wasn't.

"Get your head together boss." He emphasised the word 'boss' as he turned to take a step away, but before he did, he looked at Carson one last time. "You are the boss, remember?"

His cold words were the last thing he said before he left, heading down the hallway away from us.

Oooh, Carson's mad mad 👀

What did you think of this? They're still sorting out their problems and their new life together, so expect a few bumps in the road before they start going smoothly ❤️